Adjustable tool.



J. HARRIS.

ADJUSTABLE TOOL. APPLlcAnoN FILED MAY 31. |917.

Patented May 7,1918.

viii

ATTORN EY y recense.

JOSEPH HARRIS, OF WEST TDRONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ADJUSTABLE TOOL.

Application led May 31, 1,917.

tool is-rendered applicable' to places or posi tions impossible of access without a tool of such construction.

A further object of the invention is to 'provide a tool of the character briefly set forth, which is equipped with improved means for holding the tool in its various positions of adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an angularly adjustable tool which has its drive and driven shaft positively held in operative engagement, which embodies but few simple,`inexpensive and readily assembled parts, which has its various movable parts so assembled and con structed as to minimize the opportunity for wear or breakage, which is capable of being readily applied to the ordinary carpenters brace, and which will prove thoroughly efficient in the attainment of the ends set forth.

With these objects in View together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides inthe novel formation, combination` and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a tool constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary section taken through the angularly adjustable casing, and illustrating' the means for holding the same in adjusted position.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, 5 and 6 represent respectively the casings which are used in carrying out the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May "2', i918.

serial No. 172,931.

invention, and which are adapted to house 5 fitting within the open end of the casing,

G as shown. rllhe interlitting ends of these casings are pivoted together as indicated at i', and a wing-nut 8 may be used in connection with one of the pivots to tightly bind the casings together so as to hold the same in adjusted position. llt is obvious from this description, therefore, that these two casings may be adjusted in various angular directions, and upon tightening of the wingnut 8, the said casings will be firmly held in j.

their various positions of adjustment.

rlie casing 6 carries the working tool, and

for this purpose is provided with a central and longitudinally disposed sleeve 9, which constitutes a bore for the tang or shank of the tool. This sleeve at its rear end is pro vided with inwardly projectingflange 11, which engages the shouldered rear end of the tool shank, and a removable collar 12 may be secured to the reduced end of the tool shank upon the exterior of the iiange 4longitudinal movement in the casing. The

tool in the present instance is illustrated.

as being a boring bit, but it will be understood that a screwdriver or any other type of tool which depends for its operation upon rotary or oscillatory movement may equally as well be employed.

The casing 5 has disposed centrally and longitudinally thereof a drive-shaft 13, one end of the said shaft projecting outwardly beyond the end of the said casing, and being squared or shouldered as at 14 to enable the same to be applied to a carpenters brace or other driving apparatus. The outer end of the casing` 5 is reduced as at 15, and forms a bearing through which the drive shaft 13 projects. This bearing may be provided with packing as shown.

Fixedly secured to the drive shaft 13 within the casing 5 is a collar 16. against which one end of an expansion spring 17 engages, the other end of the said spring seating against a collar 18 loosely inclosing the drive shaft and restingI against the reduced end of the casing 5. This spring 17 thus normally forces the inner endof the drive shaft toward the adjacent end of the tool shank. A

lso

the same.

second collar 19 is adjustably secured upon the drive shaft 13 beyond the casing 5, and this collar limits the outward sliding movement of a disk or Washer 20. A spring 21 bears at one end against the collar 20, and at 'its opposite end against a Washer or disk 22, resting against the reduced end 15 of the casing 5. By adjustment .of the collar 19, after engagement of the gears 23 and 241, the tension of the spring 17 may bereadily regulated' to assure proper meshing of the gears 23' and 241, and the tension of the spring 17 may be kvaried in this manner, as desired when' changing the angle of the driven shaft with respect to the drive shaft 13. The collar 19 may be readily secured in adjusted position by the set screw 19 provided for The springs 17 and 21 will cooperate to absorb any shocks upon the gears 2B and 2a during use of the tool and prevent stripping of the teeth of the gears.

The adjacent ends of the drive and driven shafts are provided with intermeshing gears L3 and 24, the said gears being so constructedy that a positive driving connection Will be maintained between the same irrespective of the angular movement of the said shaft relative to each other. The springs 17 and 21 normallyv hold the drive shaft 13 With its gear' 23 in mesh with the gear 24 of the driven or tool shaft.

v Fromv this description it is apparent that I have provided an extremely simple and yet thoroughly efficient tool which is capable of being adjusted so as to enable the same to besuccessfully used in places diflicult of access. Vhen the desired angularity of the tool is secured, thel nut 8 may be rotated upon the pivot pin with which it is connecte'd, whereupon the said casings are firmly held against accidental swinging movement. The shouldered end 14 of the drive shaft 13 may then be secured in the clutch end of a carpenters brace, or other operating apparatus, and the tool is ready tor use.

While the present disclosure is that of what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto, but that various changes in the minor details of construction, proportion, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to if desired without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims'.

That I claim is:

1. In a tool of the class described, the combination with a pair of angularly adjustable rotatable shafts, intermeshing gears on the adjacent ends of said shafts, a casing for each shaft, said casing being pivoted at their adjacent ends and being capable of being moved to angular positions, a collar on one of said shafts, an expansion spring engaging at one end with said collar and at its opposite end with said easing, a second collar on said shaft, and an expansion spring engaging at one end with said casing and at its opposite end with said second collar.

2. In a tool of the class described, the combination With a pair of angularly adjustable rotatable shafts, intermediate gears on the adjacent ends of said shafts, casing for said shafts, pins for pivotally connecting said casings at adjacent telescoping ends, said casings being capable of being moved to various angular positions, and oppositely acting resilient members for one of said shafts to retain said intern'leshing gears in engagement With one another.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence. of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH HARRIS.

Witnesses EDNA LA FONTAINE, REUBEN F UBERMAN.

depict of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

